The present invention relates generally to wrist braces and, more particularly, to a wrist brace having a thumb strap for supporting areas of the hand and wrist to prevent injury and/or the development of harmful physical conditions.
In recent years, an increased awareness has developed of the harmful effects caused by repetitive strain injuries (RSI) to a large portion of the population. Such RSI's can develop from over use of the hand, wrist, and arm by individuals in a wide variety of occupations, including many office and clerical jobs, construction work, assembly-line, production and many others. RSI's can cause significant pain, and can also result in numbness and reduce the ability to control the hands. Effects of this type can severely diminish the quality of life and productivity of an individual suffering from an RSI.
RSI's which affect the wrist and hand are typically caused by performance of tasks which require the wrist and fingers to be repeatedly bent over and over again. Two well-known types of RSI can occur in the wrist area. The first is Carpal tunnel syndrome, which results from excessive bending of the wrist causing the swelling of tendons in the carpal tunnel, which in turn causes compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway on the palmar side of the hand. De Quervain's Disease, one of the other common tendon disorders of the hand, is another type of RSI which develops when the tendons on the radial side of the wrist and the base of the thumb become irritated from repetitive bending of the wrist.
In order to treat or prevent RSI's affecting the wrist and hand, a number of wrist braces and hand braces have been developed. The glove disclosed in Phillips U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,066, for example, is intended to treat or prevent the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome by applying a compressive force to the palm, which in turn compresses the carpal tunnel, making the median nerve extending therethrough less vulnerable to injury or strain. The hand brace of Meunchen, et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,689 is intended to reduce the adverse impact of carpal tunnel syndrome by limiting the range of movement of the hand relative to the wrist, and reduces the effects of De Quervain's condition by providing compression over the base of the thumb, known as the Thenar region.
Known wrist and hand braces, however, suffer from a variety of disadvantages, in that such braces are typically not capable of adequate adjustment to fit a wide variety of individuals, since hand size and shape can vary enormously from person to person. As a result, the brace may not provide sufficient support or compression to fulfill its intended purpose, or may also interfere with the wearer's use of his or her hands to accomplish necessary and/or productive work. Likewise, conventional braces are typically not sufficiently adjustable to provide comfort to a wide variety of individuals. In addition, known wrist and hand braces do not provide for ambidextrous fit on the right or left hand in such a way that maintains the beneficial characteristics of the brace when worn on either hand.
In accordance with the present invention, a wrist brace with a thumb strap is provided which permits adjustment while maintaining its effectiveness and comfort, thereby permitting it to be usefully worn by a wide variety of individuals.